Shanty Brook

[EMM]

Hi folks:

Would anyone know if there is a herdpath up Shanty brook which starts at the east base of Basin and Saddleback? Thanks.

EMM

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I was looking at my map yesterday, and was wondering the same thing. I searched "Shanty" and found this thread. I'll search for info on this area, and reply if I find anything. It could be a spectacular place to camp! -ALG

 

[MrOysterhead]

Ausable Club

Those punks in St. Huberts own part of Shanty Brook - and I know they take the "No Off Trail Hiking" rule very seriously. Be careful. They only own the lower part of it (up to about 2600'). The best access from state land would be to climb the Sawteeth trail from Upper Ausable Lake until state land is reached, then bushwhack due west until you hit Shanty Brook.

The only thing I know about this area is that the slides on the East/South Faces of both Basin, Saddleback, and Gothics are all quite steep and would require rock climbing racks and ropes. I don't know of anyone ever climbing Basin and Saddleback this way.

The Adirondack Rock Climbing guide states that Gothics's South Face has a climbing grade from about 5.4 to 5.7 - but that could vary widely in either direction. It also says that the best approach to climbing on Gothic's South Face is to bushwhack down from the Gothics/Pyramid Col and then climb back up. Page 391 has a great picture of the South Face.

Another feature of interest is the amphitheater wall on the south Side of Basin Mountain. It sits on the ridge between Shanty and Haystack Brooks. As fas as I know - noone has ever climbed or explored this unique area. You can find a picture of it on page 382 of the ADK Climbing Guide.

peace,
Oysterhead

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Shanty Brook is on private property. Bushwhacking there is prohibited, as is camping. That area is patrolled daily.

Oysterhead, what do you have against the Adirondack Mountain Reserve? Its members have preserved and protected the Ausable Lakes area for over a century. They provide far more access to their property than Finch Pruyn or the Elk Lake Preserve, yet I never see you refer to other organizations as "punks."

 

[hardrain]

Check your Miriam Webster's....I'm not putting words in Oysterhead's mouth, but he may have been using punk as the adjective. 'relating to or being a style inspired by punk rock'....

 

[MrOysterhead]

hardrain - you're killing me

Dan - I've had a few very negative experiences with Ausable Club members and with the "ranger" or whatever the official title is of the guy in the gatehouse. Gatekeeper? It's run the range from being yelled at by members in land rovers on the lake road that we're taking up too much space while walking on it to being given way too much grief about our hiking plans. Mabye they're intimidated by teenagers, but I haven't really had a positive experience there.

That said - I'm sure there are nice people that are members of the Ausable Club and I'm sure that not everyone is out to get me - I just have yet to see that. The other thing I dislike is that is the strict rules over where people can go - I wish it was open to all. But hey - thats just me. The people at Elk Lake have treated me with nothing but respect and as for Finch Pyrun - I don't think I've ever really been in their property other then easements and I've had no reason to leave the easement.

EMM - as I said before Shanty Brook is only in AMR Property below 2600'. So as long as you bushwack and camp above that mark - you aren't doing anything illegal (at least you're not if you follow the DEC rules).

Oysterhead

 

[mavs00]

Similar note

I responded to a similar -THREAD - elswhere to this effect.

The rock wall on Gothics SW face is climbed (by some serious dudes) and they have to access the area somehow. I actually watched some for awhile on Pyramid once, very cool, though a little too "intense" for me.

I beleive the primary access (shortest anyway) would be to to bushwhack due west through the Sawteeth/Pryamid col (at the end of the WELD trail) to reach one of several high tributaries of Shanty Brook ( marked by the X ) at the huge rock wall on Pyramid. Continuing to the NW around Pyramid would bring you to the Gothics SW face.

I've never been back there, so I've no idea of the terrain, but like I said it, those walls are certainly climbed by pros and they gotta get there somehow. It's my quess that there are at least the whisper of herd paths out of that col back to that area. This avoids the whole issue of the AMR illegal bushwack, which I agree with Daniel, is not advisable (like it or not). Maybe check with some local climbers, they might know?

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

"It could be a spectacular place to camp!"

Only PART of Shanty Brook is on AMR land. I would not trespass, so IF I do this, I would drop down from the Warden Camp-Sawteeth trail only on the portion of it that is state land... and who said anything about CLIMBING from there?! I just thought that it might have an incredible view looking up at all that vertical rock! I'm a photographer, too!

Everybody take a deep breath... Thank you for the constructive information. -ALG